Peace Corps has tapped four Baguio-based lawyers to lead the prosecution panel in the case against the prime suspect in the killing of US Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell

US Peace Corps-Philippines director Karl Beck has already written the Agranzamendez-Liceralde-Gallardo & Associates law firm to represent the Cambell family in the criminal case filed against suspect Juan Dontugan. Pending the arraignment, Beck has assigned lawyers Reynaldo Agranzamendez and Miguel Liceralde Sr. as the lead counsels of the prosecution panel with Rey Glen Agranzamendez, Miguel Liceralde Jr. and Cres Manuel Liceralde as part of the panel. Agranzamendez, dean of the University of the Cor­dilleras College of Law, told reporters on Friday that they are not yet certain why their law firm was chosen but assured that they are capable and have the resources to represent Campbell. “Maybe, the officials of the US Peace Corps did a background check on us and they are confident that we will do our best to represent the prosecution panel,” Agranzamendez said. While Dontugan reportedly confessed to have killed Campbell, Agranzamendez is not discounting the possibility that the suspect will enter a not guilty plea.

BAGUIO CITY: The United States through the US Peace Corps has tapped four Baguio-based lawyers to lead the prosecution panel in the case against the prime suspect in the killing of US Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell.

US Peace Corps-Philippines director Karl Beck has already written the Agranzamendez-Liceralde-Gallardo & Associates law firm to represent the Cambell family in the criminal case filed against suspect Juan Dontugan.

Campbell was reported missing after hiking solo in Barangay Batad in Banaue, Ifugao, on April 8. Her body was recovered in a shallow grave 10 days later.

The suspect Dontugan yielded to authorities almost two weeks after the body of Campbell was discovered and owed responsibility in the killing.

Dontugan’s scheduled arraignment on June 7 was reset to June 20 after the suspect’s counsel, Pedro Mayamo, requested to review the amendments to the original information against the suspect.

Pending the arraignment, Beck has assigned lawyers Reynaldo Agranzamendez and Miguel Liceralde Sr. as the lead counsels of the prosecution panel with Rey Glen Agranzamendez, Miguel Liceralde Jr. and Cres Manuel Liceralde as part of the panel.

Agranzamendez, dean of the University of the Cor­dilleras College of Law, told reporters on Friday that they are not yet certain why their law firm was chosen but assured that they are capable and have the resources to represent Campbell.

“Maybe, the officials of the US Peace Corps did a background check on us and they are confident that we will do our best to represent the prosecution panel,” Agranzamendez said.

While Dontugan reportedly confessed to have killed Campbell, Agranzamendez is not discounting the possibility that the suspect will enter a not guilty plea.

Meanwhile, some 25 US Peace Corps volunteers attended the ribbon-cutting ceremonies of a 12-hectare memorial park named after Julia Campbell in barangay Pula, Asipulo town in Ifugao on June 10.

Asipulo officials led by mayor Jose Jordan Gullitiw also initiated the planting of more than 1,000 fruit-bearing trees in the Julia Campbell Memorial Park to serve as memorabilia to the slain American Peace Corps volunteer. --Harley Palangchao

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Suspect confesses in murder of PCVSearch parties in the Philippines discovered the body of Peace Corps Volunteer Julia Campbell near Barangay Batad, Banaue town on April 17. Director Tschetter expressed his sorrow at learning the news. “Julia was a proud member of the Peace Corps family, and she contributed greatly to the lives of Filipino citizens in Donsol, Sorsogon, where she served,” he said. Latest: Suspect Juan Duntugan admits to killing Campbell. Leave your thoughts and condolences .

Warren Wiggins: Architect of the Peace CorpsWarren Wiggins, who died at 84 on April 13, became one of the architects of the Peace Corps in 1961 when his paper, "A Towering Task," landed in the lap of Sargent Shriver, just as Shriver was trying to figure out how to turn the Peace Corps into a working federal department. Shriver was electrified by the treatise, which urged the agency to act boldly. Read Mr. Wiggins' obituary and biography, take an opportunity to read the original document that shaped the Peace Corps' mission, and read John Coyne's special issue commemorating "A Towering Task."

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He served with honorOne year ago, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) carried on an ongoing dialog on this website on the military and the peace corps and his role as a member of a Civil Affairs Team in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have just received a report that Sargeant Paul has been killed by a car bomb in Kabul. Words cannot express our feeling of loss for this tremendous injury to the entire RPCV community. Most of us didn't know him personally but we knew him from his words. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was one of ours and he served with honor.

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History of the Peace CorpsPCOL is proud to announce that Phase One of the "History of the Peace Corps" is now available online. This installment includes over 5,000 pages of primary source documents from the archives of the Peace Corps including every issue of "Peace Corps News," "Peace Corps Times," "Peace Corps Volunteer," "Action Update," and every annual report of the Peace Corps to Congress since 1961. "Ask Not" is an ongoing project. Read how you can help.

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Story Source: Manila Times

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Philippines; Safety; Crime; Murder; Journalism; Jurisprudence

Congratulations to Ron Tschetter upon his quick action in having the PC director in the Philippines Karl Beck contract with a local law firm "to represent the Campbell family in the criminal case filed against the suspect Juan Dontugan"... Do you suppose some 'quick action' might be taken with regard to resolving the 'status' of the Walter Poirier III case?

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